Standard Lemma guide

exuviate

verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ɪɡˈzjuː.vɪ.eɪt/
  • UK: /ɛkˈsuː.vɪ.eɪt/
  • US: /ɛkˈsuː.vɪ.eɪt/
  • US: /ɛɡˈzuː.vɪ.eɪt/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To shed or cast off a covering, especially a skin; to slough; to molt (moult).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: ambitransitive, rare

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

cast off hair, skin, horn, or feathers

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • our dog sheds every Spring

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: shed, molt, moult, slough

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: shed, cast, cast off, shake off, throw, throw off, throw away, drop

Narrower terms: desquamate, peel off

History

Etymology

From Latin exuviae (“what is shed”), from exuō (“cast off, strip”).

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: luoda nahkansa — to shed or cast off a covering
  • Finnish: luoda kuorensa — to shed or cast off a covering
  • Hungarian: vedlik — to shed or cast off a covering
  • Portuguese: mudar — to shed or cast off a covering
  • Russian: линя́ть (linjátʹ) — to shed or cast off a covering
  • Russian: сбра́сывать ко́жу (sbrásyvatʹ kóžu) — to shed or cast off a covering
  • Spanish: mudar — to shed or cast off a covering